The Wanderer, The Tactician, and the Hero
by Ghost of Kings
Summary: Smash is a televised, worldwide sport, in which two fighters battle in harsh environments, no holds barred. One of the newest arrivals, Ryu, has to quickly adjust to this new lifestyle and secure his place at the top of the leaderboards. But all is not well in the barracks... All these personalities may clash in the tight living quarters. And something nefarious may be going on...
1. Prologue: A New Challenger

"Luci, you usually don't break down like this. You're always so...composed. This isn't like you." The man's voice sounded young, but full of experience. It carried an air of humility, yet also authority. He continually attempted to reassure the woman, but if his actions had any affect, she didn't let on.

"This is all too much for me. Fighting...for sport. It just seems so barbaric. How am I expected to remain composed?" She wasn't actively crying; tears were merely pooling in her eyes and sliding down her cheeks. However, her words did contain an urgency one usually associates with men standing on ledges. "The brigands who designed this system should be-" She quickly pursed her lips and focused her violet, battle-weary eyes toward the door. "Someone is outside." She deduced, the crushing sadness leaving her all at once to be replaced with vigilance.

He was lost. Granted, he had spent most of his life wandering the world, so the word 'lost' had somewhat faded from his vocabulary. But when you are all alone, on a seemingly different world, the only word that floated to his mind was lost. He slowed his breathing, beginning to decide his course of action, but the sudden quiet allowed him to hear the sounds of a woman crying. He walked closer to the door from which these noises emanated, and overheard the words 'fighting', 'sport' and 'composed.' Suddenly the words stopped, and before he knew it, the door was flung open.

Before him stood a man with white hair and a pleasant face. His build could only be described as average, but he sensed that this would be a deadly opponent should they have to fight. Instead, he attempted to explain himself.

"Oh! I apologize. I did not mean to eavesdrop. I simply...I believe I am lost. Do you know anything about where we happen to be?" Looking past the white-haired man, he saw the source of the crying: A young woman with black hair wearing what appeared to be a cross between royal garments and armor. She looked up and he noticed her stunning eyes, but the left one appeared...off. He chose not to press it.

The white-haired man was eyeing him up and down. Whatever inspection he was silently making, he had apparently passed as the man in the doorway suddenly seemed quite jovial.

"We're in the 'Barracks!' ...But you don't look familiar. Tell me, are you the new arrival? Actually, don't answer that. The gi, the headband, the...being barefoot. You have to be Ryu. My name is Robin. Welcome to Smash!"

 **Author's Notes - Well, this is the beginning. More setting the scene than anything else, really. The next chapter will actually start to get things rolling, I promise. Until then, thanks for reading and remember to settle it in Smash!**


	2. Chapter 1: A Silent Hero

Apparently, the Wanderer's reputation preceded him. While that normally put Ryu on guard, Robin just made him feel...at ease. Like they had been friends for all time. _And it might become necessity, if they insist for me to fight,_ he found himself thinking. But hopefully, the darkness of those thoughts could wait. Suddenly, the black-haired woman joined Robin at the doorway, only Ryu noticed that her hair was in fact a very dark blue. Despite looking young, she had an air of one who had seen much already.

"My name is Lucina, Wanderer. It is nice to meet you. Tell me, are you a fighter? Or a hero?" She spoke the words with equal cadence, but Ryu could sense that there was, in fact, a wrong answer.

"I'm not sure I understand the difference." he answered, truthfully. Lucina seemed disappointed but Robin quickly stepped in with the answer.

"There are many differences that one could draw but the most simple 'line-in-the-sand' is this: Do you fight because you wish to? Or because you have to?" Ryu pondered this query, thinking on all his life experiences. _Well, I did enter fighting tournaments willingly. But many a fight was forced on me. In fairness, I must consider my dream..._

"I fight because I wish to. It is my dream to become a true master of martial arts, and so I have traveled everywhere and fought many foes to learn from my victories and defeats." Sensing the sudden hostility, he added quickly, "But I have been forced to fight for my life against foes with seemingly supernatural strength."

This seemed to appease Lucina, if only slightly. "But, if I may ask, why is that important?" A brief flash of anger crossed Lucina's face, but was chased out just as quickly. Perhaps she reasoned that he was truly lost – in more ways than one.

"Essentially, this entire facility is a temple for fighters. Fights are scheduled, enacted, and recorded on a daily basis, and are usually televised. But to us heroes, the ones who had to fight just to survive..." Her voice faltered, and she found tears were again racing to her chin. Robin quickly ushered her back towards the bed, placing one arm around her and the other on her knee. Ryu thought it would be better to leave them alone, and mumbled something about food before continuing down the hall.

"I guess he was hungry." Robin stated succinctly. Lucina looked at her long-time friend, and her head was filled with positive thoughts. Mother. Father. Morgan.

"Robin, he doesn't know where the mess hall is. You should go help him." It was a thin ploy to be alone, and Robin, being the tactician he is, should have easily seen through it. But even greater than his strategies was his desire to help those in need.

"I'll catch up to him, turn him around, and then come back. Okay?" Robin was already partway down the hall, so Lucina's answer was moot. But she still smiled approvingly in the empty room.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Ryu exclaimed. His thoughts had been so clouded with tournaments and fighters and heroes, he had neglected to watch where he walked and bumped into a fellow fighter. "I wasn't paying attention and...I'm sorry." Ryu repeated. But this boy merely stared at him. "Are you injured?" Ryu asked? The boy, again, was silent. The Wanderer was concerned. "If I offended you, I apologize. I'm new here."

The boy's glance seemed to soften, but still he did not speak. Unfazed by the intimidation tactic, Ryu was bewildered by the boy until he heard Robin approach from behind.

"RYU! Ryu, I forgot to say, the mess hall is- Oh, hi Link." Robin addressed the green-garbed boy, who waved in response. Robin noted his new friend's look of confusion and explained, "Oh, I'm sorry Ryu. This is Link, the Hero of...Well, let's just call him the Hero. He doesn't speak."

Ryu looked once more upon the Hero, his eyes filled with pity. Link, however, gave him an indecisive shrug, as if to say _I probably could talk, but I have nothing to say_. The Wanderer quickly decided that Link is probably just as skilled as Robin at reading body language. Once more, Robin mentioned the mess hall, and both Ryu and Link's stomachs rumbled at the idea. The look they shared was one of deep friendship, and Ryu already found himself among allies.

Hopefully, he would never have to call upon them, but the Satsui no Hado always hungered.

 **Author's Note - In case you are not a big Street Fighter fan, the Satsui no Hado is the 'Surge of Murderous Intent,' a curse within Ryu that he must keep in control or he will lose his humanity and kill any who face him in battle. It** ** _may_** **come into play later on. Until then, thanks for reading and remember to settle it in Smash!**


	3. Chapter 2: An Event Thrice Over

The mess hall was a very large room that a passerby would mistake for the cafeteria in a hospital. Everything was white and polished; the walls, the floor, the ceiling, even the tables and chairs. The serving counter was set up in the style of a buffet, and appeared to Ryu as a mirage. As he approached, he realized that whatever type of food he was hungry for materialized on the counter.

Link joined him at the buffet, filled his tray with a small bird cooked to perfection and an assortment of fruits, and sat down at the nearest table. It being so late, the mess hall was empty save for one black –winged angel who kept to himself. Ryu instead turned to his own plate, grabbed the food he desired, and sat across from his mute friend.

Link raised an eyebrow at the Wanderer's tray: surely he couldn't eat _all_ of that food. Within ten minutes, however, the Hero watched as his companion ate the last bite of his feast. Clearly astounded, Link looked to Ryu for some kind of explanation, but Ryu simply shrugged and reclined in his chair, contented. At some point during this, Robin had rejoined the group and was feverishly drawing a chart of some kind. It was at this point he put down his pencil and slid his work in front of Ryu

"Here you go, all the competitors in Smash. This should show you who knows whom in the barracks, should you ever be confused." Instinctively, Ryu searched for his own name but found no one next to him. He worried about being alone, but a quick glance at his new friends reassured him. Next, he looked up Link and found two names with his.

"Who are Zelda and Ganondorf?" Ryu inquired. He looked up at Link momentarily before realizing his mistake and instead turning to Robin.

"They are from the same world as the Hero here. Zelda is the princess of Hyrule, the kingdom from which Link hails. Ganondorf, however, is less noble. He is a villain who desires to usurp Zelda's rule and usher in a dark age." As if reading Ryu's thoughts, the Tactician continued, "Off the field of battle, he is a rather reserved individual. But even so, I do not like him. Mad Kings and I never get along..." he finished ominously.

Looking back at the chart, Ryu nonchalantly said, "Zelda, huh?" and snuck a quick glance at Link. In response, the Hero rolled his eyes and gave him a look of _She's much too proper for such things._ Ryu then found Robin next to a familiar name. "Lucina? She is from your world, Robin?"

"Oh absolutely, I knew Luci for several years before we arrived here." Robin blushed when he realized he had called Lucina by her nickname accidentally. "Umm...She prefers Lucina. Please don't call her Luci." He stammered afterwards.

"And are you two close friends?" Ryu continued.

"More than friends, actually. We have a daughter named Morgan" Robin replied. He saw the surprise on the Wanderer's face and corrected himself, "Oh no, not yet. But we will, I've met her...It's complicated, but our daughter came back in time and met us at one point."

Ryu wasn't sure if that was possible, but he was also sure that some of his experiences might seem impossible to these two as well. He decided it would be best not to pursue it. Further down the list, Ryu noticed one name was crossed out, but seemed familiar. "What's written here?" he inquired.

Robin looked to where he was pointing and said, "Oh that was Megaman."

Ryu looked up at the Tactician. "Megaman? The blue robot child?"

"Yes, that was him. Had you two met before?" Robin deduced.

"Yes we had. I have fought him before. Where is he now?" Ryu asked, glad to be able to see a familiar face again. But both his companions grew somber and the Wanderer had a sinking feeling.

"That's a good question. Where, indeed?" came Robin's solemn reply.

Lucina remained sitting in the same position as when Robin left her side. The solitude cleared her mind; an after effect of living under a false name in the wrong time. This always made her feel guilty. She truly loved Robin with all her heart, but sometimes she felt claustrophobic within the constant presence of another. And yet, when the nightmares came, she rejoiced his unyielding attention.

Realizing that she had been waiting in the room for quite some time, she assumed that Robin had grown hungry watching Link and Ryu eat, and so set out down the hall in order to join the company.

About halfway down the hall however, she met them coming back. As they drew closer, Lucina noticed that they all looked very despondent. Worried, she quickened her pace and grasped Robin's shoulders. "Are you all unharmed? What happened?" she asked.

Robin looked up from the floor looking very fatigued. He responded, "I was telling Ryu about all the other fighters. And that's when we heard the news."

"What news?" Lucina demanded. She braced for the worst.

"...Shulk has disappeared." came the Tactician's answer. Lucina felt dizzy. One disappearance was unfortunate. Two was a coincidence. But now three? _There must be something else going on. They aren't disappearing; something has happened to them._

Suddenly, a large voice spoke out, causing all four to jump. "NEXT MATCH TO TAKE PLACE IN TEN MINUTES. RYU VERSUS ZERO SUIT SAMUS."

"I guess it is time for your first match, Wanderer." Lucina spoke. And while the new competitor's first appearance drew the crowd, she decided she would look into the disappearances herself.

 **Author's Notes - This marks the end of the Ryu section. Most of the beginning was shown through his eyes so that explaining things became easier. But now that the setting is established, the story will switch between the perspective of several characters. Be sure to leave reviews (I've never done this before so the criticism is welcome) and watch out for the next chapter. Until then, thanks for reading and remember to settle it in Smash!**


	4. Chapter 3: An Unexpected Encounter

Despite the very solid and soundproof appearance of the walls, the cheers and jeers of the crowd permeated the room and made Ryu increasingly nervous about the upcoming match. Robin sensed his friend's apprehension and set about to reassure him. "You don't have to be nervous. You've fought many times before, haven't you?"

"Well, yes, but never in front of such a large audience. I don't usually fight in arenas; I'm more of a street fighter." The thought of the large crowd awaiting him, _and_ the people watching from home, made Ryu regret his large meal terribly.

Robin sat pensively, a look of deliberation on his visage. He really wanted to help Ryu calm his nerves, but the words didn't come. Suddenly, another voice sprang up from behind the two companions.

"Who cares, anyway?" said the voice. Ryu turned around to see the source of the comment and found himself staring at the same black-winged angel that was in the cafeteria. Robin, however, didn't even turn his head. He recognized the voice instantly.

"Dark Pit. I didn't see you when we came in." The Tactician said. Ryu noticed that Robin seemed annoyed with the angel, but couldn't guess why.

"Oh, I forgot some stuff in my locker. Figured I come and grab it _and_ give your friend some advice while I'm at it. Pretty generous, right?" Dark Pit said. While Ryu could tell that Dark Pit wasn't exactly the generous kind, he thought better of being judgmental.

"My name is Ryu, friend. What advice would you care to impart?" the Wanderer inquired.

"Ryu, huh? Well, Ryu, my advice is not to care. You see, you being so new, this fight doesn't mean anything. If you win, people will say you got lucky. If you lose, people will say you were nervous. Trust me, the outcome of this match won't affect your time here all that much." came Dark Pit's reply.

Ryu and Robin contemplated these assertions. Although he wasn't thrilled to admit it, Robin had to agree with Dark Pit, if only slightly.

"That being said, Ryu, you should still give it your all out there. If you do really well, your career will have a nice head start, regardless of winning or losing." Robin added. Dark Pit smirked at the notion; it was the closest to a smile he could get.

"The thing I'm most worried about is my opponent. I don't even know this Samus. What's he like?" Ryu asked the Tactician.

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" Dark Pit responded, motioning towards the door. There, at the entrance, stood a very beautiful woman in a blue jumpsuit. And she was staring straight at Ryu.

* * *

"I really appreciate you coming with me, Link" Lucina said. She was unfamiliar to the role of detective and was grateful for the company. What she was not looking forward to, however, was the one-sided conversations to ensue. The more she thought about it, the more worried she became about not being able to communicate at all. "Wait! I have an idea!" she exclaimed.

The detour to her room in the barracks paid off, for she appeared in the hallway with a solution to their predicament. Link took the pen and notepad from Lucina and placed them in his pocket, grateful for the ability to 'speak' to his new-found partner.

"Do you think that'll help?" Lucina asked. Link quickly pulled out the equipment and scribbled ' _Yes!'_ onto the pad, showing it to the Exalted Lady. Happy with her work, Lucina found herself smiling at the Hero, who smiled back. But she reminded herself that they were on a mission. "We should check out Shulk's room, right?" she asked. Link nodded in approval, and off they went.

Lucina continued down the hallway with Link following a few paces behind. He was thinking about possible connections between the three disappearances when suddenly something else occupied his head. Namely, a door.

The loud thud caused Lucina to spin on her heel, one hand on Falchion ready to strike down any foes. Instead, she found that someone had accidentally opened a door into Link's face, knocking him flat on his back.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't think anyone would be standing there and I..." the woman's words trailed off as she realized who it was she had accidentally assaulted. "Oh! Link! I-I didn't know it was y-you..." she stammered. Link slowly rose to his feet and wrote a note to show to his assailant. _It's fine. I'm okay. No worries._ She didn't look very relieved so he added a smile, which cheered her up.

"Oh, my apologies Princess." Lucina said. "We really must be going. Right, Link?" Link nodded in response, and stepped forward to move on. But the Princess grabbed his hand and whispered in his ear, _When y-you aren't busy, please come visit me. I really would like to t-talk to you_. The Hero thought for a moment before agreeing to the meeting.

He and Lucina walked away, but Link was troubled. Why would Princess Peach of all people want to talk to him?

 **Author's Notes - I added the break between the scene changes for this chapter. In the last one, I had originally had a larger space between the paragraphs but I didn't realize that the all became normalized in the final product. In the next chapter, Ryu's first fight will finally begin. Until then, thanks for reading, and remember to settle it in Smash!**


	5. Chapter 4: A Focused Resolve

"Ryu, is it? Well, I look forward to our match. It's not every day you square off against a new face." Samus turned from her open locker to meet Ryu's eyes, and gave a distinctive wink. "Besides, being in the limelight is always thrilling." She added.

While Ryu was studying his opponent to gauge her strength, Robin was looking past her and studying the contents of her locker. Inside lay her power suit, covered in many scratches and scars. But something struck the Tactician as...off. Whatever it was, Robin didn't have enough time to discover it as Samus slammed the locker shut and made her way towards the door labeled 'ARENA.'

"Well, Ryu? Are you coming or what?" She called back. The Wanderer stole a glance at Robin, took a deep breath, and followed Samus through the door.

"Good luck!" Robin called. He decided to make his way back to Lucina's room, hoping to catch up with her and watch the fight from there.

* * *

"Are you sure you're okay, Link? She hit you pretty hard..." Lucina said. Link nodded again, saying that he was fine. "You really should speak up about these things." Lucina continued. Link cocked his head and raised his eyebrow, waiting for her to catch her mistake.

"...Oh, right." Lucina finally responded. She blushed in embarrassment, but Link simply rolled his eyes and smiled, showing he wasn't offended. They both stood there until Lucina spoke, "Oh, I was thinking. You should probably lead; if I can't see you, then I can't tell if you're there."

Link agreed that this line of thinking made sense, and so he continued onwards towards Shulk's room. When they finally arrived, the door was ajar, and the two pseudo-detectives entered the room together in search of clues.

* * *

Ryu stepped from the bridge onto the arena. It was simple in design; a blue stage that looked like a boxing ring, only without ropes. Samus took her place on the opposite side of the arena, and Ryu watched as the bridges retracted into the walls. He could see the massive crowd in the stadium, but they were separated from the fighters by glass. In fact, he noticed that the entire arena was enclosed in a glass cube.

"Do you know the rules?" Samus called out. Ryu shook his head 'no,' so Samus called back, "If you hit the glass walls, floor, or ceiling, you lose a stock. We each have three, so the first one to knock the other into the glass three times wins. On top of that, we have a ten minute time limit. At the end of ten minutes, whoever has more stock left wins. If we're tied, we go into sudden death."

Ryu thought for a moment and asked, "Are there any restrictions?" Even across the field, he could see Samus smirk.

"None at all." She replied. Suddenly, a booming voice, the same from the hallway, rung out.

"THREE...TWO...ONE...GO!" And with that, the fight began.

Almost immediately, Samus sprinted directly at the Wanderer, who readied himself for the incoming blitz. Much to his surprise, however, she drew her pistol and swung it towards him.

Some sort of laser whip emanated from her weapon, catching Ryu off guard and slapping him across the chest.

 _I guess she wasn't kidding when she said there were no restrictions,_ he thought, clenching his teeth. Already she was in front of the Wanderer, winding up a kick. Ryu ducked at the last second, and noticed that at the peak of her kick, she activated some kind of booster attached to her heels. _I'll have to make a note of that._

He noticed the opening, kicking Samus in her shins. He quickly stood up and connected two more punches, followed by a left hook to her jaw, which sent her reeling. She recovered, looking extremely angered. This was reinforced by her leveling of the pistol straight at Ryu.

Suddenly, a bronze bolt flew from the barrel, striking Ryu in the arm as he tried to move away. It didn't really hurt, but what concerned Ryu is that the shot had paralyzed him. He looked up only to find Samus' leg in his sternum, sending him flying backwards off the stage.

Luckily, he grabbed the edge of the platform before he flew too far off. Getting up, he noticed the pistol aimed at his midsection once again.

 _Now's my chance,_ he thought. He ran directly at Samus, who seemed mildly surprised at his tactics. She released the trigger, sending another paralyzing shot at the Wanderer.

Having gauged the timing correctly, Ryu jumped over Samus at the last second, landing behind her. She didn't have enough time to turn around before he yelled 'SHORYUKEN' and hit her square in the jaw with a powerful uppercut.

She landed back on the stage, still in shock. Ryu thought this to be another opening, and again ran at his opponent. However, he didn't notice Samus was aiming her pistol at the ground in front of her.

Just when Ryu was inches from herself, Samus released the trigger, locking Ryu in place. She took the time to wink at the hapless Wanderer before winding back and landing a devastating kick. The booster activated, sending Ryu soaring into the opposite glass wall.

Quickly, the stage lowered until it was level with the floor. Ryu stepped back into the arena and waited as it lifted the fighters back into position. As soon as the stage stopped moving, Samus pounced once more.

She hadn't taken 5 steps before Ryu shouted 'HADOKEN' and sent a blue fireball directly at her. She jumped to the side, but Ryu had expected it. He jumped in, landing a knee to her shoulder and landing on one foot, then quickly spun on his heel and nailed her in the head with a roundhouse.

Samus went sailing through the air, and Ryu quickly ran to where it looked like she would land. He planted his feet, waited until she was right in front of him, and...

"SHORYUKEN!" The uppercut sent her straight into the glass ceiling. She landed back on the stage with a dull thud, but managed to smile as she got up.

"You're better than I expected." she commented. Ryu figured he should return the complement.

"And you're a lot deadlier than you appear." he replied.

* * *

Robin was sitting on the edge of his chair. Upon return to Lucina's room, he found she wasn't there. In her place was a note: _Hello Robin, I went to watch the match in Link's room. If I am not back, just wait for me. –Luci_

He thought about joining them, but made the mistake of turning on the television out of curiosity, and was now completely enthralled. He threw up his arms in exasperation as Ryu fell once more to Samus' onslaught.

"Oh, and another stock bites the dust for the new challenger Ryu. That leaves him with only one left, and Samus is still sitting unscathed at two. This would be quite the comeback, but does Ryu have it in him? Let's watch!" the announcer said. Robin silently wished that Ryu would surmount the odds, but knew in his heart it was unlikely.

He watched on, cheering as Ryu knocked Samus off the stage and then jumped off after her, slamming her into the glass before using a Shoryuken to return to the edge. They both had one stock, but Ryu was hurt pretty badly and exhausted. _If you have any tricks up your sleeves, Ryu, use them now!_ Robin silently pleaded.

* * *

Samus rejoined Ryu on the stage. He was at his limit, and they both knew it. He was too fatigued to block or dodge, but he only needed to knock her into the glass once more to claim victory.

 _And you would do anything to win, wouldn't you?_ a cold voice spoke in Ryu's mind. He shook the thoughts away, instead trying to concentrate on winning. Samus lashed Ryu with her laser whip again, pushing him back to the edge of the stage.

Suddenly, he had an idea. He lowered his guard, and waited. Samus was wary of being baited, but thought Ryu was too exhausted to manage a comeback. She charged at him full tilt, intent on ending the match.

 _Don't move. Not until the last second._ he instructed himself. Samus wound up her kick...

 _NOW!_ He brought back his fist and focused all he could. _I hope this works..._

Samus' roundhouse connected with Ryu's skull with a loud thud. But, for some reason, the attack didn't move Ryu an inch. He didn't even flinch. Samus figured out what happened a second too late.

Ryu's fist collided with Samus' midsection, and she instantly lost control of her body. As she began to crumple, the last thing she was Ryu's eyes glowing bright blue. And then...

 **"** **SHIN SHORYUKEN!"**

* * *

Robin burst out of his seat, screaming at the top of his lungs. He was absolutely astonished at the amazing win his friend just accomplished. But deep inside him, Robin sensed that Ryu wasn't himself at the end of the fight. He decided to run over to the locker room and ask Ryu, when he ran into Lucina and Link in the hallway.

"Oh hello you two. I was just about to go over to locker room and see Ryu. Care to join me?"

 **Author's Notes - Well, that was certainly a long one. I wanted to have more than just Ryu's perspective again but I also wanted to fight the whole fight in this chapter. Also, if you guys hadn't noticed, I added titles to the previous chapters. That'll be continuing for the rest of the story, but until then, thanks for reading and remember to settle it in Smash!**


	6. Chapter 5: An Unsettling Discovery

"Oh, and another stock bites the dust for the new challenger Ryu. That leaves him with only one left, and Samus is still sitting unscathed at two. This would be quite the comeback, but does Ryu have it in him? Let's watch!" the television in Shulk's room reported, still left on from before his disappearance.

"Okay Link. Can I see the list?" Lucina asked. The Hero obliged, handing her the pad of paper. On the very first leaf was the heading _Clues_ and underneath ran a bulleted list of all their discoveries. Lucina quickly read through while looking about the room, checking to see if anything was left out.

"TV left on. Check. Monado missing. Check. Marks on walls, probably from a fight. Check. Link, you put Shulk's journal in your pack, right?" Lucina inquired. Link nodded, patting the pack on his side for emphasis. Slowly, the Exalted Lady swept the room with her violet eyes once more before she was satisfied.

"Do you think there's anything else we can do in here?" She asked her partner. Link thought for a moment before shaking his head no. Lucina agreed and suggested they leave for the time being and return to her room.

On the return trip through the hallway, Link considered stopping in Peach's room as they passed her door. He even reached his hand out to knock before he decided against the notion; Lucina would probably want to theorize about Shulk's disappearance as soon as they got to her room.

Suddenly, Robin burst out of Lucina's room looking very excited. "Oh hello you two. I was just about to go over to locker room and see Ryu. Care to join me?" the Tactician asked. Obviously unable to respond, Link looked to his companion to answer.

"Oh, thank you Robin. But we were just about to discuss something alone so we will pass." Lucina replied.

Robin's excitement faded into suspicion. "What are you two discussing? Is it a secret?" he put forth interrogatively.

"If you must know, Link is having trouble in his love life and wanted some advice." she replied, matter-of-factly. It took every ounce of Link's willpower to keep from recoiling in surprise.

Robin seemed to accept this answer, as he walked in the direction of the locker room while saying, "Okay, I'll see you later." Lucina breathed a sigh of relief as soon as he left earshot. Link glanced at her questioningly, but if she saw it, she ignored him. Instead, she pushed into her room and beckoned Link to follow.

As soon as they sat down on her bed, Link began writing on his pad of paper and showed it to Lucina. _Why did you lie to Robin?_ "I lied because he wouldn't understand, and certainly wouldn't approve." Link wrote again.

 _Then why are we doing this?_

"Because I have a feeling in my stomach that it's the right thing to do, regardless of Robin's opinions."

 _Does he think investigating is dangerous?_

"He would probably think that it puts Morgan in jeopardy more than anything."

 _Will Robin think we betrayed him?_

"Betrayed him? How?"

 _Going behind his back._

"I don't like going behind his back any more than you do, but he really hasn't given us a choice." 

* * *

Unbeknownst to the two partners, Robin had stealthily walked back to the room and listened at the door. What he heard only served to reaffirm his earlier suspicions, and simultaneously broke his heart. Of course, he reasoned with himself that it might not be exactly what he believed and was about to open the door when he noticed Ryu walking in his direction.

Not wanting to seem suspicious, Robin acted as though he was just leaving and moved in Ryu's direction, a question burning in his mind. So much so, in fact, that he didn't even congratulate his friend on his win.

"What was that last attack?" Robin instantly inquired. Ryu looked up, dejected, but calmly replied.

"That was the Shin Shoryuken, a very powerful uppercut."

"Yes, I figured that out when you screamed Shin Shoryuken upon using it." the Tactician said facetiously. "But how? An attack that powerful can't just be used at will."

"No, it can't. Not by mortal men, anyway." came Ryu's answer. Robin's gasp was audible, and Ryu assumed that he had no choice but to explain. "Sometimes, when I'm really desperate to win, I...lose control. Become something...dark and twisted. I usually keep it in check, but on rare occasions I find myself unable to stay...human."

Robin pondered this new revelation. "What is it, exactly?" he inquired.

Ryu let out a deep sigh. "It's called...the Satsui no Hado. It is a curse of the mind, body, and spirit, and a great burden to carry."

Robin, realizing that his friend was distraught, placed his hands upon the Wanderer's shoulders. "Is there some way to...counteract it?" he asked hopefully.

At this point, Lucina and Link exited the room and joined Robin. Ryu confidently looked among his companions and exclaimed, "It's manageable. If you have caring friends by your side."

All four smiled, and Ryu hoped nothing would ever come between them.

Or else chaos and death would find a foothold in the barracks.

 **Author's Notes - I apologize for not finishing this yesterday. I went to an awards ceremony and didn't return home until very late. On an unrelated note, I am finding a tough time balancing the story to cater to those who know a lot about Street Fighter, and those who know nothing. Aside from that, the following days are looking to be just as chaotic as yesterday was, but I will try my best to keep the daily schedule. Until then, thanks for reading and remember to settle it in Smash!**


	7. Chapter 6: An Emotion Run Wild

The four companions parted ways, all with different tasks in mind. Ryu, feeling hungry after his match, decided to return to the mess hall. Lucina reentered her room, intent on gleaning clues from Shulk's journal. Robin needed to be alone, and went in the direction of the library to think in peace. And Link thought that now would be a good time to talk to Peach.

He arrived at Peach's door, feeling unexpectedly nervous. Nevertheless, he knocked on the all-too-familiar wood and waited as she opened the door. As she did, Link immediately took notice of the fact that she was not wearing her typical dress but instead was attired in more informal clothing.

"Oh, it's y-you, Link." Peach cleared her throat in an attempt to gain confidence. "Would you please come in and sit down?" she invited. Link nodded his head and entered the room, taking a chair from her desk and facing it towards the bed. He sat down, looking about his surroundings. It was distinctly less...pink than he had anticipated.

Peach sat across from Link on her bed and asked, "How is your day going?" Link instinctively grabbed for the notepad in his pocket when he realized that he didn't have it; he had left it with Lucina.

Noticing this, Peach asked, "Oh, did you misplace your paper?" Rather than explain with gestures and hand motions, Link simply nodded. The Princess thought for a moment and finally said, "Well, I didn't really need you to talk so much as listen. Is that okay with you?"

 _That's perfect for me._ Link thought. He was more accustomed to listening anyway, so he nodded vigorously.

"Okay, if you're sure..." Peach said. 

* * *

Spiraling. It was the only word that came to Robin's head that could possibly describe his current state. A small, nagging insecurity ate at the back of his mind and it now consumed him; he was struggling to remember what was real.

 _I can't believe it._ He thought. _Can't believe her actions, her intentions. We've known each other for so long… Loved each other for so long. I never even saw them look at each other before today. But now…_

But Robin was not the confrontational type of man; if he was wrong, and he hoped he was, it would be too embarrassing to even think of. No, ever the tactician, Robin set forth creating a battle plan.

 _I'll just look around her room a little bit. If I find any evidence that they were…together, then I'll have my answer. Morgan, I_ _ **will**_ _save you._ he schemed. To give him something to do, he set about the library looking for his favorite strategy novels.

But unfortunately for the Tactician, he ran into a familiar face.

"A little early for a trip to the library, isn't it?" the dark angel inquired.

"Dark Pit. Are you following me?" Robin asked, only half joking. Now was not the time for socializing and distractions.

"Nah, just looking for Palutena. We were planning on a two-on-two later today, and I wanted to make her swear she wouldn't call me Pittoo." he replied nonchalantly. "But while I'm here, I might as well talk to you."

Robin continued gathering books, attempting to ignore Dark Pit, but his curiosity got the better of him. "Can I ask you a serious question?"

Dark Pit's smirk faded slightly as he responded to the unexpected inquiry. "Uhh…yeah, what is it?"

Robin tried his best to seem aloof as he asked. "Have you ever seen Link and Lucina together? I mean, before today?"

Dark Pit put his hand to his chin as he thought. "…No, I don't think so. But I did see Link just now, walking into Peach's room."

"Peach's room? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I saw her open the door and let him in."

"Hmm, I didn't know Peach and Link were close."

"Well if they are, maybe she would know if he hangs out with your Lucina."

Robin was surprised at the idea, especially because it came from such an…untrustworthy source. But even so, talking to Peach might prove beneficial. But first, he went to enact his original plan. 

* * *

Lucina was simply aghast. The journal lay on the floor at her feet, fallen from the hands of the Exalted Lady as she sat, motionless. Before her endeavor, Lucina had tried to prepare herself for what may lay inside; pointless entries, technical ramblings, or possibly hints of paranoia. A love letter was not at the top of the list. A love letter to _her_ was at the very bottom.

She reached down and reclaimed the journal, rereading the entries to confirm that what she saw was, in fact, real. Day after day, it accounted Shulk's attempts to get Lucina's attention, failing to work up the courage, and the melancholy walk back to his room.

Steeling her nerves, she pressed onwards towards the present entries. Much to her horror, they slowly turned from adoration for Lucina into contempt for Robin. Not unexpectedly, she guessed, as Robin and Lucina were very rarely apart. But Lucina was not prepared for the final entry.

 _I was a fool. Robin may look weak, but he's smart. He could probably figure out thirteen ways to kill you before you raised a sword. So I never picked a fight with him. But he's onto me. He knows my feelings for Lucina. And I think he's going to do something about it._

No. No, no, no. It couldn't be Robin that had kidnapped these people. It just couldn't. Robin was always so happy and carefree; he couldn't bring himself to hurt others like this. Lucina's rational side tried to calm her, but the more she thought, the more it seemed too likely.

 _It says here that Shulk liked me. And I was the only one Megaman talked to; he was the first to disappear. And then Marth… we just talked about the future of his kingdom, but to Robin, what did it look like?_

Suddenly, the door opened behind her. Lucina wheeled around, pointing Falchion at the intruder, only to find the Tactician there with a stack of books.

"Geez, Luci. It's only me." Robin cried out.

Lucina lowered her sword, but the look of fear didn't leave her face entirely. "Oh, I am sorry Robin. You can never be too careful, with all the disappearances lately." she replied.

The pillar of books in Robin's hands were all ones that Lucina recognized as his favorites; strategy novels. A dark thought crossed her mind.

"Robin, if I may ask, why do you like these books so much?" she inquired, feigning innocence.

Robin replied nonchalantly. "Oh, well, it's good to review things like these. You never know when they'll come in handy."

Lucina accepted this answer, and tried to ignore the sinister connotations it might contain. "Okay. I am going to head over to Link's room; he said he wanted to talk."

Robin looked up from his current literature. "Link? Wanted to _talk_?"

Lucina rolled her eyes at his jibes. "You know what I mean." It was little things like that which reminded her why she loved Robin, but the possibility of him being the kidnapper…

"Anyway, I will see you later tonight." And with that, she walked out the door. 

* * *

_That's…That's not possible!_ she thought. _It's just too much food for one man; too much for an army!_ But still, she watched as Ryu walked back to the table with five full trays of food, and was astonished as there was no trace of the feast in twenty minutes time.

"Well, that was certainly impressive." she said, walking over to his table. Ryu glanced up at the blond-haired woman and asked, "Do you mean the meal or our match?"

Samus sat down in the chair opposite Ryu and answered, "Both, but more so the match. Particularly the end. What was that move you used?"

A flash of nervousness crossed Ryu's face as he answered. "Oh, you mean…the Focus Attack? It lets me take a single hit before stunning any opponent."

"And does it also make your eyes glow a fiendish blue?" Samus continued.

Ryu looked defeated. "No, that's…something else."

"Care to elaborate?"

"Not particularly."

"And if I insist? You do owe me, somewhat, for embarrassing me in front of everyone."

Ryu really did not want to share this burden with anyone else, but one look at Samus' determined face made him realize she would not stop asking.

Ryu sighed. "It's called…the Satsui no Hado. 

* * *

Link found himself comforting Peach as she silently wept into her hands. Between the sobs, Link could make out words and phrases like 'alone', 'friendless', 'big crybaby', and so on.

It was all Link could do to console her; he really had no experience in his scenario. But Peach could sense that he was trying, and it served to soothe her, if only a bit.

Peach glanced up at the Hero, eyes glistening with tears. The only thing she could think to say was, "I hope Mario doesn't walk in here right now."

Link cocked his head to the side, obviously confused. Peach explained, "I think he would feel jealous that I'm crying on your shoulder and not his. He might get ideas, you know?"

Link quickly scanned the room and found a single sheet of paper and a pencil sitting on the Princess' desk. He grabbed them, sat down, and began writing.

 _Two people can have good chemistry and just be friends._

Peach looked at the paper and nodded in agreement. "Link, you seem like you would have a lot of good advice to give, if only you could."

With a smirk, Link wrote _Advice_ at the top of the page, and added a bullet in front of his previous sentence. Catching on, Peach sat down and thought up so more questions.

"Hmm… I feel really worried about Rosalina. I mean, I have no idea what Mario is doing while I'm away, and he practically lived with her for months. What should I do?"

Link thought for a moment before writing again.

 _Trust is important for any relationship; if you don't have trust, you don't have anything. But the only way to build trust is by talking to each other._

Peach read the second bullet, mentally bowing to the Hero's insight. She asked again.

"I'm afraid that people think of me as snobbish and highbrow, what with all the princessy stuff."

A third bullet. _Things aren't always as they appear; you should never make guesses without the whole story_.

"But how do I get that across to other people?"

Another bullet, this one with a star around it. _Simply be yourself, and believe in the people around you._

Link put down the pencil, and presented the paper to Peach, a finished product. "Thank you, Link. I think this will help me more than you know." 

* * *

Robin sat alone in Lucina's room, pretending to read. In actuality, he was listening to the happenings in the hallway; making sure he wouldn't be interrupted. Once he was sure, he sprang up and began looking for 'evidence'.

After several minutes, Robin had still found nothing of importance. He was almost ready to give up and forget about his crazy theories when he saw it. The journal Lucina had placed on the nightstand before leaving. After a cursory inspection, Robin remembered where he recognized it from.

It was the journal Link had handed to Lucina as they left her room earlier today. Or was it last night at this point? Lack of sleep and paranoia had all but eradicated Robin's sense of time, but that didn't matter to him. What mattered was the journal.

Robin opened the journal to the middle, quickly flipping through until he found the last entry.

 _I was a fool. Robin may look weak, but he's smart. He could probably figure out thirteen ways to kill you before you raised a sword. So I never picked a fight with him. But he's onto me. He knows my feelings for Lucina…_

Robin slammed the journal shut, rage boiling in his blood. It was true. He had proof, right here in Link's journal. And if Robin were in the right state of mind, he would have checked the cover of the journal and seen the name _Shulk_ in bright red letters.

But Robin was not in the right frame of mind. He had only one thought on his mind:

Vengeance.

 **Author's Notes - Oh geez, it has been a while. I had so many things going on lately, chief on the list being the acquisition of a new computer. So fret not, the chapters will be returning to a more normal schedule of uploading. As a sort of apology, I made this chapter a lot longer than I usually do. Thank you for sticking with me if you did; I promise the next chapter will be coming so soon. Until then, thanks for reading, and remember to settle it in Smash!**


	8. Chapter 7: A Doubt Fourfold

Samus listened intently to Ryu's explanation. While the Satsui no Hado seemed like quite a burden, she couldn't help but think how useful it might be.

"So, in theory, you could win any fight? As long as you wanted it enough?" she asked, truly engaged.

"Well yes. And I would also lose everything that makes me human inside and become an unstoppable killing machine." Ryu solemnly replied.

"…Oh." It was the only thing that Samus could muster. "But you know what I think?" she asked.

"What's that?" the Wanderer answered, curious.

"I think…that the constant threat of losing your humanity, ends up making you more human in the end." The words hung between the two, and Ryu got the impression that she wasn't talking about only him.

All at once, fighters started entering the cafeteria. Ryu was momentarily confused before looking toward the clock and saw that it was early morning; time for breakfast.

Samus shifted her gaze down at the table and Ryu realized that she wouldn't want to talk about these things in such a public place. Finally, he decided on a course of action.

"Hey Samus, would you like to continue this in my room?" he asked. Samus looked at him with confusion, _he couldn't possibly be talking about…that, could he?_ she thought.

But one look in his eyes reassured her; she could tell that the Wanderer was truly pure of heart. And so, she nodded, stood up, and followed Ryu down towards the Barracks.

* * *

She really needed to talk. Hopefully, Link would be able to reassure her from these paranoid thoughts. Unfortunately, as she passed by Peach's door, she could tell that Link wasn't in his own room. _Thank you, Link. I think this will help me more than you know._ Peach's soft voice permeated the door, and Lucina thought it best not to intrude on a private talk.

She was about to turn around and return to her room, but she suddenly had an idea. _Shulk was a techie kind of guy; what if…_ She spun on her heel, and dashed through the now somewhat crowded hallway towards Shulk's room.

Upon arriving, she was both relieved and surprised to find the room untouched since her last expedition, until she realized it was less than a day since. Frantically, she looked about at all the random pieces of technology she had mistaken for scrap metal until she found it.

"A camera!" she exclaimed. Once she discovered the ON button, a video playback immediately started.

From what she could tell, it was nighttime. Shulk appeared to be burning the midnight oil, working at his desk on some mechanical device the Exalted Lady couldn't deduce the purpose of.

Suddenly, there was a loud knocking on the door. Shulk stood up, opening up the door a crack. Suddenly, the door burst open. Shulk immediately dove for Monado and swung, slicing his opponent right across the midsection. But for some reason, the assailant was unaffected by the attack and fought back.

It was eerie for Lucina, to be standing in the very room that this video was taking place. She felt very unsafe, but continued watching for clues. Suddenly, there was a flash of light. Shulk fell to the ground, motionless.

His assailant stepped inside, their armor creaking from damage. And for one frame, right before the video ended, Lucina saw who kidnapped Shulk.

It was Samus.

* * *

After making sure that Peach was okay, Link moved toward the door and reached for the knob. However, Peach grabbed his arm and pulled him closer.

"Thanks again." she said and, after a moment of hesitation, kissed Link on the cheek very gently.

Unable to respond even if he could speak, Link merely nodded and walked out of the door, but not before bumping into it, which made the Princess giggle. In a stupor, Link meandered in the direction of breakfast.

His mind was racing. _Does Peach know that I… like her? Was that kiss more than just 'thank you'? I don't know what to think…_ He was so deep in thought that he barely noticed the couple walking towards him.

 _I guess love is in the air…_ he smirked at Ryu and Samus, holding hands as they walked against the current of fighters and towards the Barracks. Ryu merely smiled back, and Samus gave a small wave. Something about the encounter put Link in high spirits as he pressed on.

A few more feet down the hallway, Link passed by Lucina's room. He absentmindedly poked his head inside, expecting to see her getting ready for breakfast. Instead, he found Robin sitting at her desk, seeming very annoyed.

Link motioned to move away quietly so as not to disturb the Tactician, but Robin quickly turned to face the Hero instead.

 _Robin, you have to calm down. Violence isn't the answer…_ Robin thought. So, he forced a smile towards Link and tried his best to seem his jovial self.

"Oh, hello Link. Looking for Lucina?" he asked innocently. Link, without reason to be suspicious, stepped into the frame and nodded.

"Well, she told me she was going to your room. Did you not pass her?" Robin inquired. The Hero shook his head 'no'.

"Perhaps she changed her mind and went off to breakfast." Robin asserted, and Link thought that it made sense. So the two of them set off down the hallway towards the cafeteria, in search of the Exalted Lady.

Upon arriving, Link made his way through the tables, looking at all those partaking in breakfast, hoping to see Lucina. Robin, remembering that he had a match later that day, went instead into the locker room; he wanted to make sure all his tomes were stocked.

After several minutes of searching, Link was about to give up and get his own breakfast when he saw Lucina emerge from the Barracks. He walked towards her, but, upon closer inspection, saw the look of horror on her face.

Link quickened his pace and held Lucina's shoulders, silently asking her what the matter was.

"Oh Link, it's just awful. I went back to Shulk's room and found a camera; it recorded his kidnapping. Link, Samus is the kidnapper. At least, she's involved. We need to steer clear of her, and anyone she is associated with."

Link wanted to scream, if only he could speak. He wanted to tell Lucina that he just passed one of Samus' associates in the hallway; Ryu had seemed quite comfortable around her.

Unaware of her partner's distress, Lucina continued, "I think I'll go into the locker room and see if I can't find Samus' power armor; it might have evidence on it." She then took a deep breath, and walked briskly towards her goal.

Link saw no point in following the Exalted Lady into the locker room, and, unable to warn her about Ryu, had no choice but to get his breakfast.

* * *

A few feet from the door, Lucina heard the sound of someone fidgeting with the lock on a locker. She listened at the door for a few seconds before entering and almost bumping into the other occupant.

"Oh, Luci! I'm sorry, I didn't see you." the Tactician said coolly.

"Nor I you, Robin." she responded. Her spirits were high now that she had a different suspect; she couldn't contain her smile.

"Well, I was just making sure my tomes were all stocked up for my fight today. Let's go get breakfast, okay?" Robin said.

Undeterred from her goal, Lucina said, "Actually Robin, I was going to check on my locker as well. I'll join you in just a minute."

Robin nodded and walked past Lucina towards the cafeteria. Quickly making sure she was alone, Lucina went to Samus' locker immediately, but was confused by her discovery.

It was locked. And not with the standard locks, either; this one appeared to be brand new. Unable to pick the lock, Lucina had but one option; she drew Falchion and leveled it at the lock.

* * *

"Well, this is a very nice room. Very…clean." she said.

Ryu looked around the room and realized something; this was his first time entering his own room.

When he told Samus, she giggled to herself a little. "That certainly explains the upkeep." she laughed.

But Ryu had an intuition that underneath her bravado, something was bothering Samus.

"I know this may sound like a very vague question, but what's wrong?" the Wanderer inquired. Samus found herself unable to respond, which, to Ryu, was a response all its own.

"So what's bothering you?" he asked, gently.

"I…I feel like I'm losing my mind." Samus said, the words escaping her lips before she could stop them.

"Why is that?" Ryu continued, trying to be delicate.

"There are so many reasons, but my suit…" she stopped herself, but Ryu silently pleaded with her to continue. "…My power suit, the one you saw in my locker…"

Ryu nodded to show that he understood.

"…You're gonna think I'm crazy." Samus said, hesitating.

"Just say what's on your mind." Ryu consoled.

Samus took a deep breath. "I think my suit is haunted…" Ryu paused in thought, but decided to ask why she felt that instead of making assumptions.

"Well, sometimes it moves around. I'll put it in one spot before I sleep and when I wake up, it's somewhere completely different. Sometimes I find scratches and damage that wasn't there when I last had it on. And one time, late at night, I went into the hallway and I swore I saw it walking around by itself." Samus rapidly explained.

"Well, haven't you told anyone else about all this? Someone who could help?" Ryu inquired.

"Well of course I have!" she responded indignantly. "But they all blame it on…" Her voice trailed off, so Ryu had to ask her what she was talking about.

"…A long time ago, before I ever arrived here, I was diagnosed with PTSD."

A sudden wave of pity washed over Ryu, and he found himself compelled to help Samus in any way he could. And immediately, he thought of something.

"I have an idea." he said, which seemed to pull Samus out of her doldrums a little. "Why don't I go inspect your locker, and see if anyone has been messing with your suit? Since I'm new, they probably won't think to hide anything."

"Okay, but what will I do?" she asked, but almost immediately after her sentence, a loud growl from her stomach gave Ryu his answer.

"How about you eat breakfast?"

Upon arriving at the cafeteria, Ryu saw, out of the corner of his eye, someone entering the locker room. He bade Samus go eat something, and quietly snuck over towards the door.

He opened the door silently, but was very surprised at what he saw. Lucina was there, in front of Samus' locker, inspecting the lock. Without much hesitation, she drew her blade, aimed at the lock, and pierced it with one strike.

Quickly he withdrew from the door, not wanting to be seen. _Why was Lucina forcing her way into Samus' locker? Was she the one moving and using the suit? Something nefarious must be going on…_

* * *

She couldn't believe it. The locker was empty. Lucina stood there for several seconds, trying to work out the possibilities. _Samus couldn't have had time to fight her match with Ryu, get in her armor, kidnap Shulk, and then hide her armor. Could she have? Perhaps she had an accomplice hide the armor for her…_

And then a terrible thought came to the Exalted Lady. Hadn't Robin been inside the locker room just before her, fidgeting with a lock? _What if… What if Robin is somehow forcing Samus to kidnap the fighters?!_

Unfortunately, Lucina didn't have time to work the theory out, because she thought she heard the door to the locker room. She swung around and saw nothing, but decided to leave anyway, lest someone see her. And so she, too, got her breakfast and sat down with Robin, Ryu, and Link.

* * *

The four sat together, pretending to be happy and discuss Robin's match against Dark Pit. However, they were all so very suspicious of the others.

 _Why is Lucina using Samus' armor?_ thought Ryu.

 _Why is Robin forcing Samus to work for him?_ thought Lucina.

 _Why is Lucina cheating on me with Link?_ thought Robin.

 _Why is Ryu so close with Samus?_ thought Link.

* * *

"They know nothing." said a very familiar voice, not far from the table. But none of the four heard a thing.

* * *

 **Author's Notes - Well, another long one. I'm rather enjoying writing these, and so I think that will become the new standard for these chapters. On a side note, I'd like to give two very important shout outs. Firstly to Flying Chariot, for helping me with some character direction. Chariot also writes Smash fanfics, so if you like mine, you might wanna check those out. My personal favorite is _Someday_. Short but sweet. And secondly, to ThatUnholyAfro, for the motivation and drive to write a better story. He is currently writing a League of Legends fanfic called _The Road to Recovery_ , with a more informal writing style and a really original OC. Anyway, stick around for Chapter 8 (stuff is about to go down) and, until then, thanks for reading, and remember to settle it in Smash!**


	9. Chapter 8: A Dead Cat Bounce

"Wait, what? A double's match?" Robin exclaimed, obviously surprised.

"Yeah, it is. Don't you remember me talking about it in the library?" Dark Pit replied. The dark angel was somewhat shocked; Robin wasn't the type to forget things easily.

"…I guess I was just distracted recently." Robin said sheepishly. He sat down on the bench in the locker room, dejected. "I guess I'll have to forfeit." he solemnly said.

"Robin, why would you forfeit?" Lucina said, inching towards him on the bench.

"Well, I don't have a partner, and I can't get anyone ready to fight in ten minutes!" the Tactician replied, exasperated.

Lucina looked down at the floor, as did Robin. Then, quietly, "What about me?"

Robin looked up at the Exalted Lady, bewildered. "You?"

"Yes, Robin. Me. Why not?" Lucina replied indignantly.

"You know exactly why not!"

"I can defend myself!"

" _You_ can. But-"

"But what? What about Morgan?"

" _Exactly!_ "

"Robin, I can't stop living just because I might get injured. And you don't even know if it'll affect Morgan at all! Why are you so opposed?"

"BECAUSE SHE'LL END UP LIKE ME!"

Lucina was unprepared for the response, and faltered. Robin noticed this and calmed himself down, trying to explain.

"That day when Chrom found me unconscious on the ground, he decided to help me. If he hadn't, I might not be where I am today. I might not be with you. So the idea that Morgan, a sweet, bright girl, might never get her chance at happiness, is just too awful to bear."

Robin hadn't realized, but tears were welling up in Lucina's eyes. "Robin… I-I didn't know…"

Suddenly, the Tactician leaned closer and held the Exalted Lady, soothing her as he had the night before, and, for just a moment, all their suspicions melted away.

"Umm…" the dark angel spoke up.

Quickly, Robin and Lucina jumped back to their original positions, Lucina wiping away her tears. Robin cleared his throat, which Dark Pit took as a hint to give the pair a little privacy, which he obliged.

Robin turned once more to Lucina and said, "Are you sure?"

Lucina sat forward, truly thinking about her choices. "If it means helping you, then I will take up my sword any day."

Suddenly, the Announcer called out over the intercom: DOUBLE'S MATCH TO BEGIN IN ONE MINUTE. 

* * *

After breakfast, Link headed back down towards the Barracks. The idea of going into Lucina's room to reclaim his notepad occurred to him, but he remembered that Robin had locked the door when they left. And so, for the first time in what felt like eternity, Link went back to his own room.

He laid down on the bed, intending to catch up on the sleep he missed, but couldn't. Bored, he turned on his TV, which automatically tuned in to Robin's match.

From the looks of things, Robin had chosen Lucina as a partner, and they were not doing well against Dark Pit and Palutena.

"Oh, and another stock down for Robin! You know, for a couple, Robin and Lucina don't seem to have a good rhythm on the battlefield together. It would take a _miracle_ for them to come back from this!"

Link had to agree with the Announcer. Dark Pit and Palutena both had all three of their stocks; Robin and Lucina were down to one each. But suddenly, Link heard a door close somewhat violently, and someone walking down the hallway. Seconds later, he heard an all too familiar sobbing.

He burst out of his room, looking around wildly for the source of the crying. His instincts told him to inspect Mario's room, which was only a few doors down, and he listened at the door.

Certain that the sobbing was coming from inside, Link opened the door and peered inside. In the dark room, sitting on the bed, was Princess Peach.

To Peach, sitting in the dark room, the light behind Link gave him a grandiose appearance. Coupled with the circumstance of his arrival, his heroic stature seemed all at once too evident to the Princess. And for a moment, this hero in shining armor made her forget about being sad. 

* * *

Ryu thought that he had spent too much time away from Samus, and she might be worried about him. So he quickly returned to his room, preparing the explanation he would give to the stressed out Huntress.

Instead, upon returning, he found Samus asleep in his bed, snoring softly. Not wanting to wake her, he considered leaving her alone in the room and finding something else to do. _But she might have nightmares,_ he thought, _and what else is there for you to do?_

So he quietly pulled up his chair, and decided to watch over her while she slept. Within five minutes, the Wanderer himself had also fallen asleep, and the two stayed that way for quite some time. 

* * *

Lucina rejoined her ally on the stage. Their odds were staggering; both of the opponents still had all three stock, and she and Robin were now both down to one.

"Any ideas, Robin?" she called out.

"For right now, try to bait out his Electroshock Arm, and counter it. I'll keep Palutena off you, and work something out in the meantime."

"Sounds good."

Lucina ran towards the angel, noting the fact that he has used his arm every time she landed. She purposefully jumped, sailing towards him, guard lowered. She braced herself just before landing, countering his blow and sending him off stage.

Palutena had been sent away by Robin's Arcfire, and was now near Dark Pit, who was flying back on stage.

"Lucina! DUCK!"

The Exalted Lady dropped on the ground just in time.

" _THORON!_ "

The giant bolt pierced both the goddess and dark angel, sending them both into the opposite wall.

Lucina stood up, amazed.

"Robin, that was…incredible." she managed. Inside, she felt guilty for suspecting him in the first place.

"The fight's not over yet, Luci." he responded. Her adoration for him made Robin question his original doubts in her.

"Dark Pit, it seems that you're getting predictable. Try being more… erratic, hmm?" Palutena suggested.

"Erratic is my specialty." he smirked.

Robin and Lucina readied themselves for the incoming barrage.

"Robin?"

"Yeah?"

"If we win, it'll be a miracle."

" _When_ we win, I'll be sure to add it to miraculous victories we've achieved." 

* * *

Link sat on his bed, consoling Peach. It wasn't even a minute after he had led the Princess to his room that she started sobbing again. Part of him was glad for her presence; the rest of his heart ached for her sorrow.

He waited patiently for her to start explaining what happened, partly because he was unable to ask. After several minutes, Peach looked up at the Hero.

"I guess I should explain…" she began.

Link sat patiently through Peach's explanation, listening to the details of Mario asking her to come in his room and sit down.

"And he just sighed and said that it wasn't working out and that we should see other people." she concluded. Link nodded in understanding. He wanted to ask if she wanted him back, but had no paper in his own room and his notepad still lay on Lucina's desk.

Luckily for the Hero, Peach continued. "To be completely honest, I think I knew it was gonna happen eventually. Just not today…" she paused, thinking. "…I think I'll be okay with this. He's right, we just weren't meant for each other. But I need time to think things through."

Link tried to hide his disappointment. _Well, it's not like she was gonna confess her love for you,_ he thought, _she just broke up with the guy a few minutes ago!_ But part of the Hero felt that this time she needed would be longer than either of the two could imagine.

 _But still, she needs a friend right now. So I'll be her friend._

* * *

Samus and Ryu woke up several times, each time seeing the other still asleep and drifting off themselves. At one point, they both awoke at the same time, sharing an awkward glance.

"Oh, uh, I'm sorry about stealing your bed." Samus managed.

"It's okay, you deserve some rest." the Wanderer replied.

"Would you like to join me?" she asked, and then realized her mistake. "No! Not like that, I mean-"

"It's fine." Ryu said. "The chair is comfortable enough." he lied. But she deserved some privacy, and Ryu had a sense that she wasn't gifted that reprieve often. And so once again, they fell asleep, not knowing what would await them upon waking. 

* * *

"Oh wow! I never believed I would see it folks. Somehow, some way, Robin and Lucina have managed to tie up the game! Although, they are both looking pretty tired, whereas their opponents are bright-eyed and bushy-tailed! Can Robin and Lucina pull off the incredible comeback, or will Dark Pit and Palutena finally finish them off? Let's watch!"

The stage rose back into position for a final time. Robin knew that they had been lucky, being able to spike Palutena and then double team Dark Pit before she came back. Unfortunately, he was out of ideas.

"Well, any ideas now, Luci?" he called to his ally.

"Isn't that more your forté, O Tactician?" she called back teasingly.

Robin couldn't help but smile, but their opponents were soon upon them.

He impulsively sent off a Thunder, which Palutena quickly reflected. Dark Pit and Lucina began dueling, while Robin and Palutena were hurling spells at one another.

He was on autopilot while thinking of a strategy. He absentmindedly shot out an Elthunder, which Palutena also reflected. And an idea popped into his head.

He began charging up his Thoron, intentionally obvious. Palutena took up a defensive stance, ready to bounce it back at the Tactician. But Robin was counting on it.

He quickly jumped to his side before casting his spell.

"Thoron!"

"Reflect!" Palutena bounced back the bolt instinctively. But she hadn't accounted for the new angle.

The Thoron bounced off of Palutena's reflect and crashed right into Dark Pit, sending him directly towards Robin who was lying in wait.

Before the dark angel could react, Robin slashed with his Levin sword, knocking him into the wall.

The Announcer went wild. " _An unbelievable play!"_

Lucina beamed at the Tactician, who was now focused on defeated Palutena with a numbers advantage. But while Lucina was looking back at him, Palutena rushed forward and began charging an attack.

Lucina noticed the goddess a moment too late, as the attack was already upon her before she could ready her counterattack. But before it landed, she felt something grab her collar and yank her backwards.

Robin had pushed Lucina out of the way just in time, taking the full brunt of the attack. He was sent flying at a breakneck pace, slamming into the glass wall so hard that it almost cracked.

Quickly, Lucina unleashed a flurry of attacks, almost as if her blade were dancing in her fingers. At the very end, she slashed upwards, sending Palutena into the ceiling.

A brief pause was the only precursor of the sudden cacophony of cheering and yelling from the stands. But instead of basking in the glory, Lucina ran over to the ground where the Tactician lay.

"Robin? Are you okay?! Talk to me!" she shouted feverishly.

Robin slowly blinked his eyes open, looking up at the Exalted Lady's face.

"Did we win?"

And Lucina was so overjoyed that she forgot all about the crowds and cameras and planted a deep, passionate kiss on Robin's lips. 

* * *

Unbeknownst to the two, when they arrived back at the Barracks, the other fighters had organized a little party to celebrate their incredibly unlikely victory. Later that night, most of the fighters had gathered in Lucina's room and the hallway outside, both of which were just spacious enough to accommodate the guests.

Of course, alcohol was served, and the fighters were all too excited to give much thought to the consequences, even Robin and Lucina. Within an hour, almost all of the guests were at least partially intoxicated, and most were more imbibed than that. And, as is common with a room full of soused party-goers, inhibitions were cast aside and things normally kept secret were shouted to the wind.

Link, ever the lion heart, refused any drinks. It was times like this when he was grateful for his silence, or the unconvincing lie he would concoct would easily be dissected. In truth, Link wasn't just a hero because he was chosen; he loves heroics, and wears his title of 'the Hero' with unabashed pride. Any drink that would dull his senses is a chance he isn't willing to risk.

And with these unimpaired senses, he noticed that Rosalina had sauntered up to Peach a few minutes ago, both quite tipsy. Fearing an argument – or worse – Link made his way closer to the Princess and the Traveler.

"Oh Peach. I wanted to say how sorry I am for you and Mario." Rosalina said, with a hint of venom in her tone.

"I guess he told you, because I haven't told anyone yet." Peach responded.

"Yes, he did. Was it meant to be a secret?"

"It _is_ kind of personal."

"Not _too_ personal, if he told me. Or maybe he just doesn't care who knows?"

Link had a bad feeling in his stomach.

Peach furrowed her brow. "Where is he, anyway?"

"Last I saw, he was taking a nap in my room." Rosalina replied hastily.

"Oh? And what was he doing there, if it isn't too _personal._ " Peach's anger was apparent as she spat the words out.

"Well, he needed a bit of cheering up. So I gave it to him." Rosalina cracked a wicked grin.

The Princess appeared to be two seconds away from giving Rosalina a bloody nose, but turned and saw Link next to her. Suddenly she took a deep breath, put one hand in her pocket, and seemed to be squeezing something tight. Then, she asked,

"Are you happy?"

This made Rosalina falter. "What?"

"Are you happy? The two of you, together. Does he make you happy, Rosalina?"

The Traveler was prepared to be sarcastic, but something about Peach's question seemed genuine. She thought for a second.

"…Yes, he does."

"And do you make him happy?"

"I-I…think so."

"Well then, I wish you both the best. Just follow your heart, and trust each other."

It might have been Peach's moving speech, or it might have been the alcohol, but Rosalina became quite emotional and hugged Peach, thanking her. Peach hugged her back, saying that it was nothing. Rosalina left soon after to be with Mario.

Peach looked to Link as she left and asked, "How did I do?" 

* * *

Robin and Lucina were also quite intoxicated, and were not separated for the rest of the evening. Both of them silently felt guilty for their suspicions, and thought that not leaving the other's sight would be a form of penance.

At one point in the evening, a crowd had gathered around the duo as they told the tale of their incredible comeback. Amongst the crowd were their opponents, also enjoying the festivities despite losing.

Late at night, or, rather, early the next morning, Lucina thanked everyone for hosting such a great party in their honor, a sentiment which Robin mirrored. But they said that they were tired, and cordially asked the remaining guests to leave and allow them to sleep.

As they all filtered into the hallway, Lucina grabbed Robin by the arm.

"Oh no, you're not going anywhere, Tactician." she smirked, closing the door.

In the hallway, Link found himself walking Peach to her room. He gestured to her pocket, asking what was inside that she was holding. She blushed a little, and, with some hesitation, revealed the _Advice_ note that Link had left her. This made the Hero smile from ear to ear, and he accepted her invitation into her room. 

* * *

It was around this time that Ryu had awoken again. This time, he saw Samus sitting upright on his bed. _You know, having friends around to help you is great, but having someone who understands your demons is…amazing._ His thoughts were about to become words before he noticed the look on Samus' face.

She was terrified, looking right at him. Or, rather, past him.

Suddenly Ryu felt the barrel of a gun on the back of his neck, and heard a very familiar voice that chilled him to the core.

"Good morning Ryu. Sleep well?" 

* * *

**Author's Notes - Hello once again. This is easily my longest chapter yet, and contained many scene transitions, so thanks for sticking with me until the end. Speaking of the end, there is a clue in this chapter as to the ending of the story, and it has to do with economics. That's the only hint you'll get, and don't spoil anything for the other readers, s'il vous plaît. Chapter 9 will arrive shortly, so until then, thanks for reading, and remember to settle it in Smash!**


	10. Chapter 9: A Rude Awakening

Link awoke with a start, fighting to remove the blankets that he was covered in. For some reason he couldn't recall, he had fallen asleep at his desk as opposed to his bed. He wracked his brain, futilely trying to remember how he had gotten back to his room after the party. He remembered walking down the hallway, and being dead tired. What he didn't remember was doing any drinking during the night.

He reached for his pocket, hoping he had written something on his pad of paper that could spark his memory. Unfortunately, he realized that he had forgotten to reclaim his notepad from Lucina's room during the party; he was too preoccupied with supporting Peach during her would-be altercation.

Link came to the conclusion that he was still half-asleep, and any attempted thinking was useless at best. He needed to go into the bathroom to splash water on his face, and as he opened the door and turned on the sink, he tried to mentally retrace his steps from last night.

 _I remember walking down the hallway with Peach. And…I went in her room? Yes, and I set my bag down and then…_

The Hero rubbed the cool water onto his face, feeling refreshed and alert. Alert enough to notice another presence in the room.

"Um…"

Link slowly removed his hands from his face. Standing before him, stepping out of the shower, was Peach. She had a look of absolute embarrassment on her face. And she was completely naked.

Slowly, painfully, Link connected the dots in his head, one by one, until he arrived at the truth. _I don't think I went back to my room at all_.

Five seconds passed. Five entire seconds. Link came to the realization that while thinking, he was absentmindedly staring at the Princess' body. Upon this epiphany, he fell backwards through the open door.

"Augh!"

Link laid motionless on the floor, pressing his hands into his eyes so hard that he started to see colors. Peach hurriedly grabbed a towel and wrapped herself up, but suddenly her frantic movements paused.

"Link, did you just…say something?"

But Link didn't have time to question something like that. With his heroic reflexes, he jumped to his feet and sprinted out into the hallway, leaving Peach half-naked, pondering whether 'Augh' would count as a first word.

The Hero was understandably distraught. Even though it was an accident, he still felt like he had invaded the Princess' privacy in the worst possible way. He wasn't even sure how to possibly make penance, or if he even could. The only thing on his mind was to return to his room, lock the door, and hide from the world.

As he neared his door and began to execute his plan, something in the Hero's peripheral vision sent up a red flag. A door some ways down the hallway was left ajar. He could just barely make out Ryu's name on the plaque. Normally, Link wouldn't be concerned, but it just so happened to remind him of Shulk's door being left open. And, remembering who Ryu had in his company, the Hero had a sinking feeling that there was now a fourth kidnapping victim.

* * *

Slowly, painfully, Robin woke up. His skull felt like it was on fire. As he looked around, trying to regain consciousness, he noticed that Lucina was already awake.

"Oh, good morning, Luci." Robin said, groggily. But Lucina didn't respond, or even make eye contact. She appeared pale to the Tactician, and had a look of deep thought on her face. "Luci? What's wrong, what happened?" he asked, fully awake now. As he sat up, he looked at the face of the Exalted Lady, and made a shocking discovery.

"Lucina, are you…naked?" She slowly nodded, but it was unnecessary. Even a cursory glance from Robin could tell that she was wearing naught but a worried visage. He was going to inquire as to why she was naked, when he made a second discovery.

"…Am _I_ naked?" He lifted up to covers and confirmed his suspicions. Then, it dawned on him. "Lucina, did we…what happened last night?" Lucina didn't say a word, but the look she gave Robin told him everything he needed to know. The two just sat in silence on the bed, until Robin heard Lucina mutter something.

"What? I didn't hear you." he said. Lucina took a deep breath, stared straight down, and said it again.

"Was it…any good?"

Robin was completely and utterly at a loss for words. He had rarely seen Lucina like this, so insecure and fragile. "What do you mean?"

"It…was my first time. So…was it…did I –"

Suddenly she was cut off as Robin planted a passionate kiss on her lips.

"Lucina, it was my first time too. Honestly, I don't know if it was good. But I know that it was with you, and that is enough for me. I love you, Lucina."

And all at once, the color returned to Lucina's face. "Robin, I love y –"

Out of nowhere, the door to the room burst open, and Link sprinted inside.

"Link!" the lovers said in unison. The Exalted Lady jumped to cover her exposed body with a blanket, and Robin tried to question Link about his appearance.

But Link ignored both of them, and frantically searched the room for a notepad. Finally, he found Shulk's journal. He threw it open to the last page, scribbled a message, threw it at the two on the bed, and sprinted out again.

Robin lifted the journal and saw, for half a second, the name on the front of the notebook. " _Shulk's_ journal?!"

Lucina snatched it from Robin's hands, flipped to the back page, and gasped. Before the Tactician could ask what it said, Lucina held the page up to his face. Scribbled across the paper was:

 _ **RYU KIDNAPPED. HELP.**_

* * *

Ryu regained consciousness. He noticed that his hands were bound behind him, and his legs were tied to the legs of the chair he occupied. The bump that was forming on his head sent throbbing pain shooting through his skull. Instinctively, he began to struggle against his bonds, testing the strength of the knots.

As he regained vision, he saw that Samus was a few feet to his left, and in a state of similar makeshift imprisonment. She appeared worn down, as if she had spent a few hours trying to break free and eventually resigned to her fate. After seeing Ryu move about, she seemed at least a little less worried. Before Ryu could ask if she was alright, he heard that familiar voice again.

"Hello, Wanderer. I was wondering when you would rejoin us."

"Who are you? I know your voice…" Ryu called into the darkness.

"Yes, my voice. I'm afraid that's all I am, that's what I've been reduced to. No name, no face, only a voice."

And with that final clue, Ryu finally remembered.

"You… you're the Announcer!"

Suddenly, the loud whirring of a large machine sprang in the Wanderer's ears. One by one, the monitors of a giant computer came alive, all broadcasting live footage of the premises. Connected to the machine by a mess of cables and wires was some kind of stasis pod, in which the Blue Bomber appeared to be asleep.

Silhouetted against the harsh light of the screens was a thin and wiry man who truly wasn't threatening in the least. At least, he wouldn't be, except for the gun he had pointed at Ryu's head. Seeing this, Samus redoubled her efforts to escape from her bonds.

"Oh, I wouldn't do that, Ms. Bounty Hunter. After all, _I'm_ the one with the gun and, unlike your little stun gun, this one _kills_." the Announcer said, approaching Ryu. Samus stopped fidgeting, and the Announcer smiled.

Ryu was desperate for answers. "What are you doing to Megaman?"

The man's bravado faded slightly.

"Exactly what I have to…"

* * *

Robin and Lucina had quickly leapt out of bed and thrown on their clothes so they could join Link in search of their now-misplaced friend. In their haste, Robin forgot about the journal he previously thought to be Link's. The Hero had rushed back to their door, frantically motioning them to hurry up. Finally, they all rushed out with their swords drawn, sprinting down the hallway towards Ryu's now-empty room.

* * *

"I don't understand… why kidnap the fighters?" Ryu asked, partly to understand and partly to stall. He saw his friends approaching on the CCTV's behind the Announcer, and the Wanderer was biding his time until they arrived to save he and Samus.

" _Fighter._ Singular. At least, that was the plan; I only wanted Megaman. The other two just happened to be sticking their noses in my business, and, well, I couldn't tolerate that." Something about the way the Announcer said those words made Ryu despair to think about their fate.

"These cameras here record every match from every angle. I had an idea, seeing as how Megaman was a robot… If I could download the recording of every match into Megaman's memory, I could make him the best fighter hands down. And as long as I keep him under my control… well, no one could really stop me, could they?"

Suddenly, Samus interrupted the Announcer's monologue. "How did you kidnap three able-bodied fighters in broad daylight?"

The Announcer smirked, as if he was still impressed with his plan. "Well, you should know, I had your help." Seeing her look of confusion, he added, "Well, not _your_ help, per se. You see, I somehow figured out a way to control your power suit remotely from this computer. Don't ask me how, it was mostly luck. But it was also the break I needed to set my plan in motion."

"What plan?" asked Ryu. "Why do any of this? What do you gain from having Megaman at your command?"

"You really can't figure it out? If I control the strongest fighter, I control the fights. If I control the fights, I control the game. It's quite simple: Hold the fighters hostage to take the game, hold the game hostage to get to _them._ "

Ryu wanted to press the Announcer further, but suddenly the door to the maintenance room burst open. Robin, Lucina and Link all dashed through the doorway, readying their blades and preparing for a fight.

Instinctively, the Announcer leveled his gun at Samus' head and began threatening to shoot. "I swear I'll kill, just back the hell off!"

Lucina and Link were confused. "Kill her? I thought she was the one who kidnapped Ryu…" The Exalted Lady said.

"Why would I kidnap Ryu?! I only just met him!" Samus spat back, clearly terrified.

"That's not important, we just need to save them." Robin said, trying to be reasonable.

But the Announcer did not appreciate reason at this point. "EVERYONE SHUT THE HELL UP OR SHE DIES!" To emphasize his point, he fired a warning shot at the ground near Samus' chair.

The sound of the gunshot hung in the air, and then…

Silence. No one moved. No one dared to breathe.

Robin silently evaluated his surrounding, trying to find the optimal strategy that would save the day. And while Robin was studying the room, Link was studying Lucina. Namely, Lucina's sword hand.

There was an unmistakeable twitch, and the Hero feared the worst. Ryu was using the silence to stealthily untie the ropes behind his back, and he was just about free…

And then Ryu saw Lucina's eyes.

Lucina drew Falchion with lightning speed, and dashed towards the Announcer. And it almost worked.

Ryu broke his bonds, and jumped out of his chair to stop Lucina.

" **NO!"**

 _Bang._

* * *

Samus' body hit the ground at the same time that Ryu tackled Lucina to the floor. Falchion clattered away into the darkness. Robin was frozen in stunned silence, while Link quickly jumped forward and knocked the gun from the Announcer's hand. The whole thing seemed very unreal to Ryu, but one glance at Samus' body brought a tidal wave of emotion over him. _I swear to everything holy…_

 _I'll kill him._

He slowly stood up and walked towards the Announcer.

"L-look, I said I would shoot if they moved, you c-can't blame this on me…"

But Ryu wouldn't listen. Without a word, the Wanderer wrapped his hand around the Announcer's throat and lifted him into the air.

"I-I c-can't… breathe…" the Announcer slowly coughed out.

Ryu stared into the Announcer's very soul with his piercing red eyes.

Without a second thought, Ryu threw the Announcer into the collection of monitors as hard as he possibly could.

The cacophony of shattered glass was only eclipsed by the sound of splintering bones as the Announcer's body impacted the computer, sending sparks of electricity and splashes of blood across the , Link, and Robin were all horrifically shocked.

"Ryu… what's wrong with you? That was just… violent." Robin pleaded.

Ryu turned towards the fighters, a smirk revealing the pointed teeth he now bore.

* * *

"...Violence…is _who_ _ **I**_ _**am!"**_

* * *

 **Author's Notes - Oh. Oh God. I am so sorry. This chapter should have come out months ago. I'd like to say that I started college, and that there was a lot more work to do than I really expected, but I feel like making excuses in this instance is just insulting. So I'm sorry. All I can do is promise to have Chapter 10 out in _way_ less time. Until then, thanks for reading (and sticking with me if you have) and remember to settle it in Smash!**


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